Small Hinges Swing Big Doors

When was the last time you wanted to make a big move in your life? And how did it feel when it didn’t land the way you wanted it to?

Often, we believe that making the one big move will gain us the result we want—the new job, the new house.

And when we swing and miss, and don’t get the result we were aiming for, we get discouraged.

What is a better way to get the result you want, and build confidence in yourself at the same time?

It’s the accumulation of consistent effort, even when we don’t see immediate results.

And, there’s a roadblock in the way of that. Novelty. We are human beings, and we love bright, shiny objects. And once an object loses its luster, we have a tendency to look for the next shiny thing, regardless of its purpose.

We hate boredom, we hate tedium. Yet, that’s where the work is, and that’s where the results we seek are. There is so much to be said for small hinges swinging big doors. Showing up, gaining knowledge, talking with friends and mentors, checking in with others—these things build habits, and can be the small hinges that swing open the door you’ve been working at for so long.

Let’s think about how this affects your career, and how this helps your transition to other work that works for you.

Doors are opening

What are three small hinges you can hang your career door on to make your hopes and dreams swing wide open?

Learning: What field looks interesting to you right now? And I say you, I mean *you*—not your partner or your spouse or your friends. YOU. What lights you up? What intrigues you? When you have that picture in mind, let’s research it. Pick up books and listen to podcasts on the field. Soak in and study it, learning the ins and outs to make sure that’s the move you want to make.

Networking: Here’s what I’ve learned in my journey: Networking isn’t just getting into a big room, schmoozing and handing out business cards. It’s the one-on-one conversations you have with a person, about your career move, or career state. It’s building a human connection, where you not only learn about a new career path, you also learn about what makes that person passionate about that field. And whether that passion dovetails with yours.

Chunk down the work: Change can be overwhelming, and trying to make big things happen too quickly can ruin it. What is one thing you can accomplish today, or in the next week, that can move you to the work that works for you? And then, let’s build on that task, to master the next move.

Small hinges are foundational work. No matter how small they may seem, they set you up for building a clearer path on your career journey. Habit building takes time to achieve. And it takes support to get there.

Consistently making those small swings builds confidence in you to make the career transition that works for you. And, when you have that confidence for your career, that confidence begins to flow into the rest of your life.

And it gives you the confidence to say to yourself: I can do this—I believe in me.

What small hinges can you think of that can swing wide the door to meaningful work for you? Let me know in the comments below.

I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career and health coach, trained in habit change, specializing in helping mid-stage professionals gain clarity on their career and health journeys. I invite you to click on the link, and let’s talk about how I can support you.